Luggage Inflatable Structure

ABSTRACT

A luggage inflatable structure includes a sleeve fixedly mounted in the housing of a luggage, an air bag received in a bottom lining and the periphery of the housing of the luggage, and a pull rod having a piston located on the bottom end thereof and movable up and down in the sleeve for pumping air into the air bag so that storage items are held firmly in position when the air bag is inflated, avoiding storage item damage or noises during carrying or delivery of the luggage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to luggage and more particularly, to a luggage inflatable structure which has a piston mounted on the bottom side of the pull rod of the luggage and movable up and down with the pull rod in a sleeve inside the luggage to pump air into a air bag so that storage items are held firmly in position when the air bag is inflated, avoiding storage item damage or noises during carrying or delivery of the luggage.

2. Description of the Related Art

When carrying or delivering a luggage, the items stored in the luggage may be forced to hit one against another, causing storage item damage or producing noises. Air bags or elastic cushion pads may be set in a luggage to hold down storage items in place. However, when the volume of the storage items is changed following traveling, the air bags or elastic cushion pads may be unable to hold down the storage items in place. In this case, storage item damage or noises may occur.

Further, US 2004/0035185 teaches the use of an inflation connector for the connection of an air pump to pump air into the luggage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view.

It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a luggage inflatable structure, which allows inflation of an air bag to any status subject to the amount of storage items in the luggage, enabling the storage items to be firmly held in place between the peripheral wall of the housing of the luggage and a bottom lining when the user is carrying the luggage or when the luggage is being delivered, avoiding storage item damage or noises.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a luggage inflatable structure, which has a simple structure, requires less installation space, and fully utilizes the internal space of the luggage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a luggage having an inflatable structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic section view of the present invention, illustrating storage items accommodated in the luggage and the air bag flattened.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2, illustrating the air bag inflated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1˜3, an inflatable structure of a luggage in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising:

at least one sleeve 1 fixedly mounted between an upper locating block 52 and a lower locating block 53 at one side in a housing 51 of a luggage 5 with fastening members 56;57 and defining a bottom air inlet 14 that is connected to an air intake pipe 11 in the luggage 5 and an axial piston hole 10 that receives a pull rod 2, where the upper locating block 52 has a locating groove 521 for the positioning of the top end of the sleeve 1; the lower locating block 53 has a locating hole 531 for the positioning of the bottom end of the sleeve 1 and a fastening member 532 mounted in the locating hole 531 to affix the bottom end of the sleeve 1;

at least one pull rod 2 that has its bottom end 22 inserted the axial piston hole 10 of the sleeve 1 and fixedly connected with a piston 20 and its top end provided with a grip 21 and is movable up and down in the axial piston hole 10 of the sleeve 1 to pump air through the air intake pipe 11 into an air bag 3;

an air bag 3 mounted in one side inside the housing 51 of the luggage 5 between a bottom lining 54 and the sleeve 1 and having an air pipe 35 connected to the air intake pipe 11 for guiding pumped air from the sleeve 1 into the air bag 3 for enabling the air bag 3 to be inflated upon reciprocating motion of the piston 20 with the pull rod 2 in the axial piston hole 10 of the sleeve 1, wherein the bottom lining 54 can be a rigid sheet member, or a fabric, synthetic leather or flexible sheet member connected to the housing 51 of the luggage 5; and

an air-valve switch 4, which comprises a first air port 41 connected to the air intake pipe 11, a second air port 42 connected to the air pipe 35 of the air bag 3, an exhaust pipe 43 connected to a through hole 511 on the peripheral wall of the housing 51 of the luggage 5 and an operation panel 44 with an air intake control key (not shown) and an exhaust control key (not shown), wherein when the air intake control key is switched on, the first air port 41 and the second air port 42 are opened and the exhaust pipe 43 is closed for enabling pumped air to flow through the air-valve switch 4 and the air pipe 35 into the air bag 3; when the exhaust control key is switched on, the first air port 41 is closed, the second air port 42 and the exhaust pipe 43 are opened, for enabling air to be exhausted out of the air bag 3 through the air pipe 35, the second air port 42 and the exhaust pipe 43.

Further, the top end of the sleeve 1 is covered with a cap 12 that has a through hole 121 for the passing of the bottom end 22 of the pull rod 2.

Further, an one-way valve 111 is installed in the air intake pipe 11 of the sleeve 1 for allowing air to flow in direction from the sleeve 1 toward the air pipe 35 of the air bag 3 and prohibiting backward flowing of air from the air pipe 35 toward the inside of the sleeve 1.

Further, the air-valve switch 4 is mounted in a switch hole 512 on the peripheral wall of the housing 51 of the luggage 5, keeping operation panel 44 on the outside of the luggage 5 for operation by a user.

Further, the air bag 3 is a hollow inflatable container made of a flexible rubber material having a high deformation rate.

As stated above, the piston 20 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the pull rod 2 and movable up and down with the pull rod 2 in the axial piston hole 10 of the sleeve 1 to pump air through the air intake pipe 11 into the air bag 3. When the air bag 3 is inflated, it imparts a pressure to the bottom lining 54 against the storage items 6 in the housing 51 of the luggage 5 (see FIG. 3), holding the storage items 6 firmly in place against displacement. Therefore, when carrying or delivering the luggage 5, the storage items 6 are firmly held in position and will not hit against one another, avoiding storage item damage or noises. After each use, the internal air of the air bag 3 can be exhausted through the exhaust pipe 43 of the air valve switch 4 (see FIG. 2).

In conclusion, the invention has advantages as follows:

-   -   1. All storage items, no matter how much the amount, can be held         firmly in place between the peripheral wall of the housing 51 of         the luggage 5 and the bottom lining 54 when the air bag 3 is         inflated when the user is carrying the luggage 5 or when the         luggage 5 is being delivered, avoiding storage item damage or         noises.     -   2. Subject to the arrangement of the piston 20 at the bottom end         of the pull rod 2, the air intake pipe 11 at the bottom side of         the sleeve 1 and the air-valve switch 4 in between the air bag 3         and the air intake pipe 11, the inflatable structure of the         present invention has a simple structure, requires less         installation space, and fully utilizes the internal space of the         luggage.     -   3. The operation of the inflatable structure is easy. The user         can be inflated or flattened conveniently when desired. It is         not necessary to use an external air pump when wishing to         inflate the air bag. 

1. A luggage inflatable structure, comprising: a sleeve fixedly mounted upper locating block and a lower locating block in a housing of a luggage, said sleeve comprising an axial piston hole extending along top and bottom ends thereof, an air intake hole at a bottom end of said axial piston hole and an air intake pipe extended from said air intake hole; a pull rod inserted into said axial piston hole of said sleeve, said pull rod comprising a piston fixedly connected to a bottom end thereof and movable up and down in said axial piston hole to pump air through said air intake hole and said air intake pipe to an air bag and a grip fixedly connected to a top end thereof outside said sleeve; an air bag mounted in said housing of said luggage between a bottom lining of said housing and said sleeve, said air bag comprising an air pipe connected to said air intake pipe of said sleeve; an air-valve switch, said air-valve switch comprising a first air port connected to said air intake pipe, a second air port connected to said air pipe of said air bag and an exhaust pipe connected to a through hole on the periphery of said housing of said luggage, said air-valve switch being operable between a first operation mode where said first air port and said second air port are opened and said exhaust pipe is closed for enabling pumped air to flow from said sleeve through said air-valve switch and said air pipe into said air bag to inflate said air bag and a second operation mode where said first air port is closed and said second air port and said exhaust pipe are opened for enabling air to be exhausted out of said air bag through said air pipe, said second air port and said exhaust pipe.
 2. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top end of said sleeve is positioned in a locating groove in said upper locating block and capped with a cap, said cap having a through hole for the passing of said pull rod.
 3. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air-valve switch is mounted in a switch hole on the periphery of said housing of said luggage, comprising an operation panel exposed to the outside of said housing of said luggage, said operation panel comprising an air intake control key operable to switch said air-valve switch to said first operation mode and an exhaust control key operable to switch said air-valve switch to said second operation mode.
 4. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air bag is a hollow inflatable container made of a flexible rubber material having a high deformation rate.
 5. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom lining is a sheet of fabric, synthetic leather or flexible material connected to said housing.
 6. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom lining is rigid sheet member.
 7. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a one-way valve installed in said air intake pipe of said sleeve for allowing air to flow in direction from said sleeve toward said air pipe of said air bag.
 8. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom end of said sleeve is inserted into said lower locating block inside said housing of said luggage and fixedly connected thereto by a fastening member.
 9. A luggage inflatable structure, comprising: a sleeve fixedly mounted upper locating block and a lower locating block in a housing of a luggage, said sleeve comprising an axial piston hole extending along top and bottom ends thereof, an air intake hole at a bottom end of said axial piston hole and an air intake pipe extended from said air intake hole; a pull rod inserted into said axial piston hole of said sleeve, said pull rod comprising a piston fixedly connected to a bottom end thereof and movable up and down in said axial piston hole to pump air through said air intake hole and said air intake pipe to an air bag and a grip fixedly connected to a top end thereof outside said sleeve; and an air bag mounted in said housing of said luggage between a bottom lining of said housing and said sleeve, said air bag comprising an air pipe connected to said air intake pipe of said sleeve.
 10. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an air-valve switch, said air-valve switch comprising a first air port connected to said air intake pipe, a second air port connected to said air pipe of said air bag and an exhaust pipe connected to a through hole on the periphery of said housing of said luggage, said air-valve switch being operable between a first operation mode where said first air port and said second air port are opened and said exhaust pipe is closed for enabling pumped air to flow from said sleeve through said air-valve switch and said air pipe into said air bag to inflate said air bag and a second operation mode where said first air port is closed and said second air port and said exhaust pipe are opened for enabling air to be exhausted out of said air bag through said air pipe, said second air port and said exhaust pipe.
 11. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top end of said sleeve is positioned in a locating groove in said upper locating block and capped with a cap, said cap having a through hole for the passing of said pull rod.
 12. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said air-valve switch is mounted in a switch hole on the periphery of said housing of said luggage, comprising an operation panel exposed to the outside of said housing of said luggage, said operation panel comprising an air intake control key operable to switch said air-valve switch to said first operation mode and an exhaust control key operable to switch said air-valve switch to said second operation mode.
 13. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said air bag is a hollow inflatable container made of a flexible rubber material having a high deformation rate.
 14. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said bottom lining is a sheet of fabric, synthetic leather or flexible material connected to said housing.
 15. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said bottom lining is rigid sheet member.
 16. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a one-way valve installed in said air intake pipe of said sleeve for allowing air to flow in direction from said sleeve toward said air pipe of said air bag.
 17. The luggage inflatable structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the bottom end of said sleeve is inserted into said lower locating block inside said housing of said luggage and fixedly connected thereto by a fastening member. 